Ogletree trial dismissed: The official statements

White Plains, NY — Bishop S. Clifton Ives and Bishop Martin McLee announced in a press conference this morning that the trial of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Ogletree was being dismissed in favor of an agreed settlement between all parties. Ives was the presiding office of the trial court, and McLee is the supervising bishop of the New York Annual Conference under which Ogletree serves. A complaint against Dr. Ogletree had been filed in the wake of his presiding at the same-sex wedding service for his son.

Following the press conference, the following statements were issues by Bishop McLee, Rev. Ogletree, and the trial court:

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The United Methodist Reporter wants to encourage lively conversation about The United Methodist Church and our articles in the belief that Christian conversation (what Wesley would call conferencing) is a means of grace. While we support passionate debate, we cannot allow language that demeans or demonizes others, and we reserve the right to delete any comment we believe to be harmful or inappropriate. We encourage all to remember that we are all broken and in need of Christ's grace, and that we all see through the glass darkly until that time we when reach full perfection in love. May your speech here be tempered with love, and reflection of the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. After all, "There is no law against things like this." (Galatians 5:22-23)

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John

I’m not sure what you mean by a Biblical Church. We don’t stone the adulterous or even ban divorced persons from the pews or the ministry (despite Jesus’s forceful condemnation of divorce). We don’t force women to be submissive to their husbands or to remain silent in church–we even ordain them. So, yes, we are not a Biblical Church if you mean that we should follow every injunction in the Bible.

I watched the HBO documentary “Questioning Darwin” the other night, and found it really interesting — namely that in 2014 there’s still some kind of debate between faith and science. I really think that in fearful times the common man likes to deal in absolutes…with no room for questioning or doubt. We like to be told what to believe, what is true, what is right…and we also like to judge. While watching the doc, I couldn’t help but think about the whole sexuality debate the UMC is currently embroiled in. Same kind o’ thing. I think everyone should read this… Read more »

Based on the clarification which was issued, it might be helpful to have the title of this article changed from “dismissed”…

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4 years ago

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Elaine T.

John, I am curious if you are even involved in an United Methodist Church. I have been involved in MANY different United Methodist Churches…many more that an average UMC member. I am acquainted with bishops and have known a multitude of pastors and NEVER have I heard a person told that they were going to hell because they are gay. Yes the official stand of the church is that marriage is between one man and one woman and that there should be celibacy in singleness which they based on their interpretation of Scripture. You have every right to see Scripture… Read more »

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4 years ago

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John

Elaine T., I have been involved in Methodist congregations most of my life. I have recently decided to leave the denomination because of its horrendous lie that homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity. I have known lots of people who have been scarred by the anti-gay teachings of Methodists and Southern Baptists, admittedly primarily in the South. My own congregation of many years was indeed very accepting of gay people and deliberately disavowed the idea that homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity and has conducted same-sex commitment services and marriages. I suspect that it will soon leave the UMC over this issue.… Read more »

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4 years ago

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Elaine T.

You mention that your old UMC church might leave the denomination. Are you aware that if they do so they will have to leave their church building and property behind and meet somewhere else. This is a situation where the properties could revert to the denomination’s ownership.

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4 years ago

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John

Elaine T., I suspect the only reason my former congregation has not left the denomination is because of the property concerns. If a fair and just solution is found that would allow the congregation to keep the property, I think most of the congregation would be eager to sever connection with the denomination. As it is, the congregation has explicitly denounced the homophobia in the Book of Discipline and effectively ignores it. I am grateful that they do this, but it irks me to be in connection with people who hold such contempt for homosexuals that they have repeatedly voted… Read more »

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4 years ago

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Genesis 2:18-25

Genesis 2:18-25 18-20 God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” So God formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn’t find a suitable companion. 21-22 God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he… Read more »

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4 years ago

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MethodistPie

I just looked at Genesis 19, and it appears to me that the men of Sodom indeed intended to sodomize their guests. I’ll grant you, that’s pretty inhospitable, but even if they had sodomized them with the most hospitable of intentions (try it, you’ll like it!), do we believe the judgment would have been less severe? If that sounds ridiculous, it’s no more ridiculous than the revisionist reading of this passage so popular with those who would do the Methodist Church what the men of Sodom intended for the two angels.

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4 years ago

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John

Some of the posters here (and perhaps in UMC congregations generally) would be comfortably at home in the pews of the Westboro Baptist Church. The ignorance and disdain expressed for gay people here is appalling.

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4 years ago

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Elaine T.

I’m curious if you have children of your own. Have they ever done anything wrong and you needed to disciplined them? If you pointed out to them that what they did was wrong would they be justified to say that you were ignorant and that the distain you had for them was appalling! Do you differ with your children with what is acceptable behavior? Using your logic that would mean that you hate your children. I’ve read these responses and I have not seen a hatred of gays but there is a differing opinion on behaviors and beliefs..

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4 years ago

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Wes Andrews

John, you comparing UMs who uphold the Biblical definition of sexuality and marriage to those cult member of Westboro is appalling. k

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4 years ago

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John

Elaine T. and Wes Andrews, from your comments, I have no doubt that you see nothing wrong with the comments here. You also probably think it is appropriate to call adults children and to assume the right to discipline other adults. Sorry, you don’t have that right and your obtuseness about the comments here just shows how comfortable you are with bigotry. People who tell gay youth that they are “less than” and doomed to hell have blood on their hands; the reason so many gay and lesbian young people commit suicide is directly linked to what they hear from… Read more »

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4 years ago

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Wes Andrews

I’m amazed at how progressives manipulate conversations by characterizing people who don’t agree with them as evil. They have taken the mantle of old fashioned, judgmental fundamentalists. The only difference is their fundamentals come from far liberal thinking, rather than far conservative thinking. No one is “doomed to hell” based on their sexuality or understanding of sexuality and marriage. While you attempt to put that idea on me, I simply reject your effort. I have never taught that because it is not Biblical. I think heterosexuals “living together” is not within God’s definition of sexuality, but it doesn’t mean I… Read more »

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4 years ago

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John

Wes Andrews, I am amazed at how people who label homosexuals as “sinners” and who regard homosexuality as incompatible with Christianity–in effect, labeling homosexuals as excluded from Christian fellowship and, in fact, evil, can then complain when more sensible people push back. As always, the people who invest a great deal of time and effort and ingenuity in oppressing other people simulataneously try to pretend that they are the “real victims.” We are supposed to feel sorry because someone calls you an unpleasant name, when you are campaigning to prevent gay people from equal rights and equal dignity in the… Read more »

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4 years ago

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georgia

the position of the umc is ‘homosexual is incompatible with christian teachings’.yes thats it! So whats hapening?the umc isnt condoning homosexual so as to other sins.but Gods church will never colapse though satan may try.”if God be for us who can be against us”.brethren lets pray for i believe the batle is the lords.dont leave the church for if they are iligaly entertaining it there it isnt so @ africa,part of U.S etc they will surely lose.we dont hate them we love them thats why we say they should avoid such act.they are contending with God n they wil lose… Read more »

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4 years ago

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Gene Ramsey

This entire conversation is illustrative of how we have become a people who determine what we want to hear, and only after deciding that look for scriptural justification for positions we’ve already taken.

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4 years ago

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Jay

The scriptural sin of sodomy is inhospitality, not same-sex sexual relations. The irony is that those who are really guilty of sodomy are those who hate and vilify homosexuals. They are the “sodomites” that led God to destroy Sodom.

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4 years ago

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Tim

I’ve repeatedly heard that the sin of Sodom was an issue of hospitality. That is only one of the many sins that the Rabbinic writings claim. While Rabbinic writings have something to add – they are only commentary on what has been written. If I remember my exegesis correctly – start with the text and end with the text. The sexual sin is clearly evident in Genesis 19 and is an example of how far from hospitable the community has become. The thing these men wanted to do to the “guests” was so detestable, so against God’s will, that the… Read more »

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4 years ago

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Scott

What a weird reading of scripture. So those of us who do not condone the Methodist church marrying people of the same sex are Sodomites? I may be leaving the UMC sooner than I thought.

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4 years ago

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Genesis 2:18-25

Simple and easy: Genesis 2:18-25 18-20 God said, “It’s not good for the Man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper, a companion.” So God formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn’t find a suitable companion. 21-22 God put the Man into a deep… Read more »